Cottonwood Forest land
It’s been two years since Dallas County Commissioner Andrew Sommerman proposed using a combination of federal and county dollars to kickstart new workforce housing in the Stults Road neighborhood of Lake Highlands. Sommerman hosted a meeting last month to announce the status of the project — a zoning change proposal is headed to the City Plan Commission, and the developer is ready to press play when he receives the city’s okay.
Over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, demolition crews razed the Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church at the corner of Stults Road and Forest Lane. The church, the church parking lot and a single-family home were purchased by the county to assemble the 7-acre Cottonwood Forest community.
Developer Victor Toledo said 28-32 single family detached homes are planned for first-time buyers including teachers, firefighters, police officers and other critical community members. The zoning change to townhome, or TH-2, is required not to build townhomes, but rather smaller starter homes — approximately 1,400 to 2,000 square feet of house on a 40 by 100 lot. Only four acres are developable due to floodplain.
Affordability for the target buyers is made possible by the intervention of Dallas County, which used American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) funds to purchase the land. ARP dollars were sent by the federal government to address the impact of the pandemic.
Each house is planned as a three bedroom, two bath, two car garage home with front porch. It’s expected to have a retail value of about $750,000 but sell for a discounted sales price under $500,000. Contracts with buyers would include anti-flip, anti-rent and anti-short-term-rental provisions, ensuring that only screened and intended owners reside inside. A walking trail is planned around the creek. Children would attend Stults Road Elementary in Richardson ISD.
Northwood Estates Neighborhood Association members from the surrounding area have indicated their approval of the project. They had previously opposed the county’s plans to build a Parkland Hospital clinic on the site, and they stated their preference for single family homes over additional apartments in their neighborhood.
Toledo said the Cottonwood Forest project would take about two years to complete, assuming approval of the city.
Andy Sommerman shares site plan in 2023.
